The words watercraft, boat and craft are used interchangeably herein to designate a small power boat, a jet-powered personal sled-type craft, a pedalling-type craft, a row boat, a scull, a kayak, a small sail boat or other recreational boats of the like. Similarly, the term all-terrain-vehicle (ATV) is used herein to designate the three or four-wheel recreational vehicle, a golf cart, a lawn tractor, a motorized buggy or wheeled equipment of the like.
Between uses, a watercraft is normally tied alongside a dock or a shore and is subject to wave actions. On a big lake or along a coast outside a harbour, large waves may push and shake the boat against the dock, the beach or a rocky shoreline, and damage the craft. Therefore it is preferable to raise the boat out of the water during non-use periods and during periods of strong wind. Also, in most cases, a watercraft is used during one season only and must be transported and stored away during the colder months. Consequently, a trailer and a watercraft lift are preferably required by the owner of a watercraft.
It is also common for a family that is initiated to aquatic activities to own a pair of boats such that the fun of the activity can be simultaneously shared between members of the family. It is also common for a family having enthusiasm for outdoor activities to own one or two all-terrain-vehicles (ATVs), which also must be transported to a storage space when the weather conditions are not appropriate for the use of these vehicles. It is therefore common for vacationers traveling back from a resort, to experience the need to simultaneously transport a number of recreational vehicles on a same trailer.
Examples of boat lifts of the prior art are illustrated in the following documents:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,914 issued on Feb. 9, 1993 to S. T. Basta; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,505 issued on Jan. 4, 1994 to P. E. Wilcox; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,360 issued on Jun. 30, 1998 to D. M. Wood. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,371,461 issued on Mar. 13, 1945 to F. S. Newell; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,427,667 issued on Sep. 23, 1947 to H. H. Gilbert; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,169,644 issued on Feb. 16, 1965 to B. L. Godbersen; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,800 issued on Sep. 1, 1981 to J. W. Lomas; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,632 issued on Mar. 9, 1982 to G. W. Fortmeyer; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,143 issued on Jan. 10, 1995 to P. Mohan; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,997 issued on Jan. 7, 1997 to M. Fredriksson et al. PA1 EP 063,651 published on Nov. 3, 1982 by F. H. Van Den Broek. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,772 issued on Jan. 17, 1978 to C. R. Prudhomme; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,420 issued on Sep. 9, 1980 to L. E. Vencill et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,242 issued on Jan. 6, 1981 to G. D. Waits; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,545 issued on Nov. 15, 1988 to D. G. Lawrence; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,656 issued on Oct. 6, 1992 to G. R. Potter; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,115 issued on Nov. 21, 1995 to B. A. Alvis; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,388 issued on Jun. 30, 1998 to R. J. Clark; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,173 issued on Jan. 26, 1999 to R. A. Bremner.
Examples of trailers of the prior art for handling, transporting or lifting a boat are illustrated in the following documents:
Examples of trailers of the prior art having a structure for simultaneously transporting a boat and at least another vehicle are illustrated in the following documents:
As can be appreciated, the dual load trailers of the prior art are not intended for use as boat lifts, and the prior boat lifts are not intended to be used as dual load trailers. Therefore, it is believed that there continues to be a need for a transformable trailer and watercraft lift which can be left in the water during the summer period and converted into a trailer for transporting several recreational vehicles after a vacation period and for supporting these vehicles in storage during winter.